So, you have three days in London. What is the most productive way to see and enjoy what the capital has to offer?

Where to stay
Staying in London accommodation gives you the greatest range of options, with regards to locations. It might be a valid alternative to a hotel outside of the city, although more expensive, if you want to have a sense of ‘living’ in the city and will provide a welcome contrast to the electric pace of life that you will encounter here.

For a short stay, some of the best locations for staying in London are Hyde Park executive apartments, Kensington hotels, Westminster guesthouses or Bloomsbury lodges.

Travel
Get a London travel card for the areas (zones) that you will need to go through. London transport is subsidised and you can use a travel card for both underground trains (the ‘Tube’) and buses. Avoid travelling during rush hours if at all possible.

Day 1
Whichever City Apartments London you stayed at, you could begin your stay in London at the Palace of Westminster, the building that houses ‘Big Ben’ and the Houses of Parliament, where the British government presides over the world’s oldest functioning democracy.
Hop on the tube to Charring Cross and you will emerge to see Lord Nelson’s column at Trafalgar Square. While you are here, visit the National Gallery.

Like all public galleries and museums in London, it has free admission.

Buckingham Palace is only a pleasant walk away. At certain times of day, you will be able to watch the Changing of the Guard, when the soldiers watching over Buckingham Palace are relieved of duty to great pomp and ceremony.
Finish your day unwinding at Covent Garden, where there are plenty of restaurants and bars, along with street entertainers.

Day 2
You may wish to take advantage of some of London’s fine museums. Travel to Museum Row to visit the London Science Museum, which is full of interactive activities for children, as well as adults. There is also the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. A tube ride away, the National Museum has a world-class collection of articles from antiquity, much of it ‘borrowed’ from places such as Egypt during the time of the British Empire.
From Museum Row, you can travel to Harrods, the world’s most famous department store. You could end the day by watching a concert at the Royal Albert Hall nearby.

Day 3
Today, you might consider a guided bus tour to the east of Westminster, towards London Bridge and the ‘Square Mile’. You will see a mixture of old and new, in the area where most of the city’s big business is carried out.
‘Blue Badge’ guides are accredited to give tours in the capital and they have a wealth of knowledge. Your guide will tell you the grizzly true stories of Sweeny Todd and Jack the Ripper.

You can end your trip in style with a ride on the London Eye, the tallest Ferris wheel in the western hemisphere. From this grandstand, you can see the vastness of London. See how many places you can recognise from the previous three days.

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Now that the cost of living has become a little less forgiving on our purse strings, we’re left with many people feeling as though a holiday in one of the many luxury hotels is the last thing they’ll be paying out for.

This really shouldn’t be the case, though. There are ways to take that ideal holiday whether this is as a couple, with friends or as a family, and not break the bank or have to remortgage the house.

Life can be hard with all your day-to-day responsibilities, so going to a high street travel agent can seem much more appealing. If you take the time to browse the deals, you will most certainly find a holiday within your price range. You will surprise yourself when you see that you don’t necessarily have to stay in a cheap backstreet B&B to get out of the country. It might take time, but it’ll definitely be worth it in the end!

What’s even better is that despite flight prices increasing, you won’t have to sacrifice the quality of your accommodation just to be able to get to your destination. To really make a saving, have a go at making some changes to your requirements.

If you normally go all inclusive, look at half board. If you’re going to a foreign country, attempt to learn some of the local language. It will make buying lunch easier and you’ll find yourself having a lot more fun than you would expect. Even getting the kids involved will be entertaining. You’ll find the locals having a lot more time for you and even if you don’t get the lingo right, they’ll appreciate the effort.

We’re not, of course, going to leave you guessing on places to look for your holiday. Below are a few examples of holiday destinations, which you’ll be surprised to see are accessible to those without a disposable income.

New York. Everything about this place screams ‘expensive’. The Big Apple has plenty of luxury hotels to put you up; however, simply walking down the bustling streets in the city and gazing at the electric lights of Time Square is free! You’re open to roam this popular destination as you wish; after all, there is no charge for sightseeing from afar.

Many of the tourist attractions are quite costly. The Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and boat rides will all dip into your wallet, unforgettable though they are. So, take a look at holiday guides before you leave and plan ahead to get the best deals and avoid disappointment.

Ever considered getting away to Paris? Again there is so much to see from simply walking down the streets of what is arguably the most romantic city in the world. Possibly not the best for a family holiday but many weekend breaks here have been found to be a bargain.

Strolling around the Eiffel Tower, looking at the Notre Dame from afar and peering at the Bastille all cost nothing. It’s up to you to decide whether to pay for the closer experience.

Spain has always been a popular family destination. Torremolinos and Benalmadena in the Costa del Sol are both sun-drenched most of the year, and even when it rains the temperature is still mild. Taking walks along the promenades are free, the buses are cheap and cost the same price regardless of your length of journey.

There are the typical tourist attractions and all the hotels have great sea views, close to everything. Although by taking your time to research the area, you will find bargains if you’re willing to give up the beach on your hotel doorstep. The Spanish are exotic people who always encourage the tourists to try anything. So, why not give it a go?

A common misconception is that Europe is always going to be cheaper for us Brits. But if you set aside some time for yourself to have a good look online at what you can get, you will see that even some places in America are affordable and won’t leave you paying it off for years to come.

Destinations such as Dubai can offer you a holiday of a lifetime that won’t leave you paying for a lifetime. So, even though it seems to be a simpler option to just stroll into your local travel agent and take what they show you, it pays to spend time browsing what other locations can offer.

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A summer weekend trip to London doesn’t need to break the bank. Yes if you want a 5 star hotel with constant room service, you are going to have a hefty bill but this need not be the case. There is a huge choice of London hotels to stay in for a weekend break.

Often if you are going to London for just a weekend you have at least one event in mind often with the rest of the time intended for sight seeing or similar. Going to the theatre is a popular weekend trip for people as getting away from the normal working routine to see a West End show can be a great way to spend the weekend. It is worth shopping around if this is your main plan as some London hotels offer theatre breaks that can have a good saving on the separate costs.  Other main events drawing you to the capital city for the weekend might be a concert or a huge football match at Wembley stadium or similar.

Once you have your main even sorted the choice falls to what you are going to do with the rest of your time. This time need not break the bank either. If you are into art and culture The Tate gallery, The National Gallery and the British Museum are all free. Seeing the sites is a popular past time for visitors and often the prime locations can be costly to the unwary.  While the London Eye offers great views it can be an expense you don’t want to accrue, an alternative if you don’t mind waling up stairs is Monument to the Great Fire of London. For just a few pounds you can ascend the 202 foot tower and enjoy amazing views of the capital.

There is plenty of public transport available in London so getting around should be no problem. If you want to do it cheaply you could hire a bicycle but after seeing what the London traffic is like I’d prefer to use the heritage bus routes that are a great value way to see the local sites!

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The idea of a city break in London is usually accompanied by the thought of expense, with London being one of the most expensive cities to visit; it’s hard to believe that there are chances to eat out for under a tenner.

With food ranking as the 3rd thing to consider while budgeting for your visit, behind flights and accommodation, it’s good to know that you can have the choice of cuisines for reasonable value.

While eating in the right restaurants will keep costs down, try and increase your savings by booking cheap flight tickets as well as searching around for London hotels.

Koba
The most expensive meal here is around £25-£35pp for a set meal, however the main courses are between £5.90-£9.50pp. The Koba offers a whole range of Korean food and looks extremely sleek.

The menu covers all what you expect from Korean cuisine at fantastic value. At £19-£22, the jeongol is enough to feed four. The Koba can be found on Rathbone Street and can be easily accessed via Goodge Street or by the Tottenham Court Road tube.

Comptoir Libanais
For a more Lebanese feel, try the Comptoir Libanais café. Here you can pick a main course for between £5.95-£6.50. This canteen and delicatessen hybrid is open all day for you to try their in house hot man’oucha flatbreads, falafel’s or chicken kofta’s.

There is plenty to choose from in this more art museum than café, the bar features an Islamic motif, while the cutlery is stored in recycled harissa cans. The Comptoir Libanais is suited for all ages and is situated on Wigmore Street, which can be accessed via the Bond Street tube.

Golden Union Fish Bar
If fish is something you want on the menu, then why not try the Golden Union Fish Bar. For £7.60, you can order yourself a fresh, crisp battered piece of cod with hand cut chips that can barely fit on the plate. Known previously as The Chippy, this no-frills cheery restaurant can be found on Poland Street just on the top edge of Soho.

The menu is ever changing, with plaice, pollock, prawns and even coley making an appearance on the menu. With courses ranging from £4.50-£7.50, the Golden Union Fish Bar is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger at an excellent price.

Rasa Sayang
For more of an oriental experience without the clichés, try the Rasa Sayang. Situated on Macclesfield Street, this ground floor and basement diner offers its ‘heat zone’ and ‘straits cunlinary favourites’ menu at prices between £6.90 and £18.80.

The Rasa Sayang promotes its contrasts, with the ground floor having a unique atmosphere to that of the basement seating area. Here you can order yourself a fennel seeded fish curry and soft crisp roti flatbread, however you must try their desserts, such as the ondeh-ondeh rice cakes, which are filled with melting caramelised palm sugar and are well worth a try.

Beatroot
The Beatroot fast food restaurant is one that will change your whole perception of fast food counters. This fresh vegetable outlet has been offering its healthy cost efficient meals since 1997, and is a perfect choice for vegetarians alike.

Beatroot offers a range of different salads, and vegan friendly dishes such as the moussaka. You can also pick yourself up a soy mince sausage roll as well as an array of different healthy juices and smoothies.

Meals here range from £3.90 to £5.90 and is located on Berwick Street, easily accessible from the Tottenham Court Road tube.

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